Evaluation of Factors Affecting Women Artisans as Entrepreneurs in the Handicraft Sector: A Study on Financial, Digital Technology Factors and Developmental Strategies About ODOP in Uttar Pradesh to Boost Economy

The purpose of this study is to investigate the socioeconomic, financial, and digital technology factors that influence the performance of women artisans as entrepreneurs in the handicraft sector in India. This study also analyses the developmental strategies for the One District, One Product Scheme. This study provides the answer of the question: How do financial, socioeconomic, and digital technology factors affect the performance of women artisans as entrepreneurs through the ODOP scheme, and what are the strategies for developing the craft industry? Descriptive and explanatory research design, along with quantitative research approaches and survey techniques, has been used in this study. For this study, a survey design with a cross-sectional method has been applied for data collection. This study has applied “Yamen’s sample size determination formula” to identify the sample size for 268 women-owned registered firms. Stratified random sampling has been used with closed-ended questions on a five-point Likert scale. Factor and regression analyses were used to check the relationship between dependent and independent variables and look for data patterns. Results show a significant relationship between socioeconomic, digital, and financial factors in the performance of women artisans as entrepreneurs through the ODOP scheme, and it has been found that the performance of women entrepreneurs is higher when certain social, economic, financial, legal, administrative, and digitalization factors are in place. However, it turns out that demographic factors are poor predictors for the performance of women artisans as entrepreneurs through the ODOP scheme in India. This research offers valuable theoretical, practical, and managerial implications and insight into issues faced by women artisans as entrepreneurs and provides recommendations and developmental strategies for the craft sector. This study contributes to a more equitable entrepreneurial landscape for the Indian handicraft sector. The upper echelon theory, general system theory, resource-based view, rechnology acceptance model, and Giessen and Amsterdam entrepreneurial success model support this study. This study helps policymakers and managers implement strategies for the craft industry and other sectors.